HTTPD(8) httpd HTTPD(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

httpd - Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol Server

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**httpd** \[ -**d** *serverroot* ] \[ -**f** *config* ] \[ -**C** *directive* ] \[ -**c** *directive* ] \[ -**D** *parameter* ] \[ -**e** *level* ] \[ -**E** *file* ] \[ **-k** start|restart|graceful|stop|graceful-stop ] \[ -**h** ] \[ -**l** ] \[ -**L** ] \[ -**S** ] \[ -**t** ] \[ -**v** ] \[ -**V** ] \[ -**X** ] \[ -**M** ] \[ -**T** ]

On Windows systems, the following additional arguments are available:

**httpd** \[ -**k** install|config|uninstall ] \[ -**n** *name* ] \[ -**w** ]

# [SUMMARY](#SUMMARY)

**httpd** is the Apache HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server program. It is designed to be run as a standalone daemon process. When used like this it will create a pool of child processes or threads to handle requests.

In general, **httpd** should not be invoked directly, but rather should be invoked via **apachectl** on Unix-based systems or as a service on Windows NT, 2000 and XP and as a console application on Windows 9x and ME.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

[**-d serverroot**](#d)

Set the initial value for the ServerRoot directive to *serverroot*. This can be overridden by the ServerRoot directive in the configuration file. The default is **/usr/local/apache2**.

[**-f config**](#f)

Uses the directives in the file *config* on startup. If *config* does not begin with a /, then it is taken to be a path relative to the ServerRoot. The default is **conf/httpd.conf**.

[**-k start|restart|graceful|stop|graceful-stop**](#k)

Signals **httpd** to start, restart, or stop. See Stopping Apache httpd for more information.

[**-C directive**](#C)

Process the configuration *directive* before reading config files.

[**-c directive**](#c)

Process the configuration *directive* after reading config files.

[**-D parameter**](#D)

Sets a configuration *parameter* which can be used with <IfDefine> sections in the configuration files to conditionally skip or process commands at server startup and restart. Also can be used to set certain less-common startup parameters including **-DNO\_DETACH** (prevent the parent from forking) and **-DFOREGROUND** (prevent the parent from calling **setsid()** et al).

[**-e level**](#e)

Sets the LogLevel to *level* during server startup. This is useful for temporarily increasing the verbosity of the error messages to find problems during startup.

[**-E file**](#E)

Send error messages during server startup to *file*.

[**-h**](#h)

Output a short summary of available command line options.

[**-l**](#l)

Output a list of modules compiled into the server. This will **not** list dynamically loaded modules included using the LoadModule directive.

[**-L**](#L)

Output a list of directives provided by static modules, together with expected arguments and places where the directive is valid. Directives provided by shared modules are not listed.

[**-M**](#M)

Dump a list of loaded Static and Shared Modules.

[**-S**](#S)

Show the settings as parsed from the config file (currently only shows the virtualhost settings).

[**-T** (Available in 2.3.8 and later)](#T)

Skip document root check at startup/restart.

[**-t**](#t)

Run syntax tests for configuration files only. The program immediately exits after these syntax parsing tests with either a return code of 0 (Syntax OK) or return code not equal to 0 (Syntax Error). If -D *DUMP*\_*VHOSTS* is also set, details of the virtual host configuration will be printed. If -D *DUMP*\_*MODULES* is set, all loaded modules will be printed.

[**-v**](#v)

Print the version of **httpd**, and then exit.

[**-V**](#V)

Print the version and build parameters of **httpd**, and then exit.

[**-X**](#X)

Run httpd in debug mode. Only one worker will be started and the server will not detach from the console.

# [FILES](#FILES)

The default paths listed below may be changed at compile time or with various command-line and configuration directives. Consult your local installation for the actual locations.

**/usr/local/apache2/conf/httpd.conf**

Main server configuration file.

**/usr/local/apache2/conf/mime.types**

Default MIME type mappings.

**/usr/local/apache2/logs/error\_log**

Error log file.

**/usr/local/apache2/logs/access\_log**

Access log file.

**/usr/local/apache2/logs/httpd.pid**

File containing the process ID of the running daemon.

The following arguments are available only on the Windows platform:

[**-k install|config|uninstall**](#k~2)

Install Apache httpd as a Windows NT service; change startup options for the Apache httpd service; and uninstall the Apache httpd service.

[**-n name**](#n)

The *name* of the Apache httpd service to signal.

[**-w**](#w)

Keep the console window open on error so that the error message can be read.

2026-05-08 Apache HTTP Server

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Document: httpd(8) from apache2 2.4.69-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/apache/httpd